


The Wild Wild West

by havemore_fandomgarbage



Category: Super Junior
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:53:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23270524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havemore_fandomgarbage/pseuds/havemore_fandomgarbage
Summary: It’s the old west and the laws are simple: don’t drink anything weaker than whiskey, and look out for your own. Ten stories all connected into one, giant, tangled mess. Laws and hearts are broken, alliances are formed, and who doesn’t love a good ol’ fashioned duel? Oh Mamacita!
Relationships: Cho Kyuhyun/Original Female Character(s), Choi Siwon/Original Female Character(s), Kim Heechul/Original Female Character(s), Kim Ryeowook/Original Female Character(s), Kim Youngwoon | Kangin/Original Female Charaters, Lee Donghae/Original Female Character(s), Lee Hyukjae | Eunhyuk/Original Female Character(s), Lee Sungmin/Original Female Character, Park Jungsoo | Leeteuk/Original Female Character, Shin Donghee | Shindong/Original Female Character





	1. Exquisite Horror

**Author's Note:**

> There is no particular order you have to read the stories, but they are in the ideal chronological order.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee Hyukjae is known as Eunhyuk el Matador Increible (Eunhyuk the Amazing Bullfighter). Crowds of hundreds gather to watch him battle big, terrifying bulls. By his side is his best friend since childhood. She has been supporting him for as long as he’s been chasing his dream, even if she doesn’t agree with it. Women shamelessly throw themselves at him, desperate to create a wedge between him and his best friend. In the dangerous Matador world, full of greed and fame, she is his light. But can she protect him from the dangers that lay both in and out of the bull ring? He’ll have to make a choice on what kind of a man he wants to be. Oh Mamacita!

The sun beat down against the dusty field of a small town in Mexico. In the middle of the town was a giant arena. Inside the arena sat hundreds of Mexican citizens--gathered to watch the only past time they had in 1872: bullfighting. Men drank and cheered as the matador angered and tested the bull. Women fanned themselves as the sun caused sweat to drip down their foreheads. They watched in growing anticipation for the brave matador. Children ran through the stands, giggling and waiting for the event to be over.

In the middle of the arena stood Eunhyuk el Matador Incredible, one of the country’s up and coming matadors. Already his fanbase was huge, men and women alike cheered for him as he easily dodged the charging bull. He waved the muleta around, doing a dance where one wrong move could cost him his life. He didn’t worry though, he thrived on the adrenaline. His heart was pumping in time to the chants of his name. He smirked, doing a quick turn to wave at his adoring fans.

On the opposite of the arena stood the bull. Multiple banderillas were already lodged in the bull. All he had to do was successfully stick his sword between the bull’s shoulder blades. Taking a deep breath, sweat trickling down his forehead, he called the bull forth towards him. The bull, weak and angry, made one final charge.

Exhaling slowly, he lifted his sword before plunging it into the bull. The bull let out a loud groan before collapsing onto the dust covered ground of the arena. The arena fell silent.

Then Eunhyuk el Matador Incredible turned around, throwing his arms in the air. The arena erupted with cheers. Roses were thrown by young women, hoping to catch his eye. He picked one up, blowing kisses to his adoring fans. He waved and grinned as he exited the main arena. Once he was away from the eyes of the spectators, he let out a long breath. He took his sleeve and wiped away the sweat from the sun and the adrenaline of the fight.

“That was quite a show you put on.” To his left was his best friend of many years: Rosita. She was leaning against the wall opposite of him, her face half hidden behind her fan. She was a young, beautiful woman. She wore a dress the same color of his brightly colored costume. Her hair is braided with flowers woven into it. She was a real beauty to behold, but to him, she was simply Rosita.

“You were watching?” he asked, although he knew she was. She had been by his side throughout his entire career, attending every bullfight and keeping a close eye on him for his dear mother. With her, he wasn’t Eunhyuk el Matador Incredible. With her, he was Lee Hyukjae, a silly fool who was a literal ray of sunshine in her life.

“Don’t I always?” she said, standing up. He smiled, not the smirk he gave his fans to woo them, but a smile he saved just for her.

Before more could be said, his manager appeared from one of the arena rooms. He was a short, burly man with absolutely no regard for Hyukjae’s health and wellbeing. Rosita didn’t care much for him, especially with his unwanted, much dreaded and disgusting advances. She fanned herself, hiding her disgust behind her fan.

“Eunhyuk! Tu fuiste fantastico! You were perfecto! This is only the start! Soon you’ll be traveling to Espana! Selling out arenas of thousands!” his manager said. Rosita could see the peso signs in his eyes. It disgusted her, but the look of unbridled joy on Hyukjae’s face forced her to bite her tongue.

“Do you really think so, Julio?” he asked. He stared at his manager with wide eyes. Rosita couldn’t bring herself to crush his dreams.

“Yes, Mijo. You’re a star!” he said. He patted Hyukjae on the back. “Get changed. There’s a big party to celebrate your big success. Don’t worry, drinks are all on you tonight.” He laughed, leaning back as if he told the most hilarious joke. Hyukjae chuckled while Rosita rolled her eyes.

“Aren’t they always?” Rosita chuckled at Hyukjae’s comment, drawing Julio’s attention to her.

“You should come too, Senorita. It could do you some good. You may even find yourself a nice man, no?” Julio checked Rosita out, his intent clear in his dark eyes.

“I’ll go,” she said, willing herself to remain calm. “I’ll go to support Hyukjae. Just as I alway have.” She knew Julio wasn’t listening, but she wanted Hyukjae to know that someone would be there to celebrate him.

“Si, si, perfecto. I’ll see you soon.” Julio left and Rosita let out a breath of relief. She ushered Hyukjae into one of the rooms before Julio could come back and bother them more.

“Can you believe the size of that crowd?” Hyukjae said, moving to rest on the couch. The cool leather felt amazing against his burning skin. Rosita set her fan down and grabbed a cloth to dip into the bucket of cold water she had prepared before the fight. She wrung the excess water out before taking a seat next to Hyukjae. Cold droplets of water ran down her wrist as she began to gently rub his forehead.

The cloth felt amazing against his skin. Hyukjae let out a content sigh, letting her cool him down. This was how it always went. He knew that he could always count on her to be there to take care of him. Ever since they were kids, she had taken care of him. Their parents used to coo over them, convinced they’d be married one day. But after decades of their friendship, and with his career starting to take off, settling down was the furthest thing from his mind.

“All there to cheer you on as you dance with La Muerte. Me worrying over you is going to be the death of me one of these days,” she said. He smiled. He turned to his side, wrapping his arms around her middle and nestling his face into her lap.

“Mmm, but I’ll always come back safe to you,” he said, his voice muffled by the skirt of her dress. She sighed, running a hand through his incredibly soft hair. How she wished that truly was the case.

“If only it was just to me,” she whispered. He didn’t hear her and proceeded to fall fast asleep.

She woke him up a bit later to get ready for the party. She stood before him, already dressed with her hands on her hips. Her skirt was red with white flowers embroidered along the bottom. Her bodice was white with sleeves that exposed her shoulders. Her shawl was red with the same while flowers embroidered on it. Her hair was pulled back into a bun with red and white flowers artfully placed in it.

“How long was I asleep?” he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Two hours,” she replied. He let out a low whistle, taking in the amount of concentrated effort she put into her outfit. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, now get up. Unless you want Julio coming in and getting you dressed.” He made a disgusted face, making her giggle. She gestured to the suit she laid out before stepping out of the room to give him privacy. She held her hand to her chest, her cheeks burning. She bit her lip, bringing her hands to her cheeks in a futile attempt to cool them down.

Inside the room, Hyukjae was putting on his suit, thinking how cute it was that his suit complimented Rosita’s. White slacks paired with a red buttoned shirt. Along the seam of the slacks are red flowers that matched the ones on her skirt. She was always doing cute stuff like that and he loved their matching best friends outfits. He stepped out once he was finished getting ready, offering her his arm.

Surprise, surprise when they walked into the bar and everyone greeted them with a loud cheer. The bar had a musty smell to it and chipped tables and countertops. The stools were covered in leather that was cracked. Outside of the musty smell, it also was heavy in the scent of alcohol, making Rosita gag behind her fan.

Julio greeted them by stumbling from the bar, a glass of whiskey in his hand, its content sloshing all over the place. “Eunhyuk! El Matador! Incredible!” he shouted, stumbling in a zigzag line. Hyukjae embraced his manager, patting his back. “You. Are. Amazing! You are fantastico!” He pulled Hyukjae down to his level, singing a tune too old for either Rosita or Hyukjae to know. He pulled him away from Rosita, dragging him into the crowd of people. Rosita watched with a sad look on her face.

Hyukjae stood in the middle of the crowd, waving and smiling as everyone called his name. Glass after glass filled with top shelf whiskey was thrusted into his hand. The burning liquid traveled down his throat and set a fire in his stomach. Gorgeous women surrounded him, their breasts popping out of their corsets as they leaned in close to him, giggling and batting their eyelashes.

Rosita sat at the bar, sipping on a glass of water and keeping a sharp eye on Hyukjae. She watched in disgust and anguish as he flirted with the women who surrounded him, captivated by their voluptuous assets. She let out a sigh, staring into her clear glass and seeing a blurry reflection of herself.

“Why so blue, Senorita?” She had to physically restrain himself from rolling her eyes into the back of her head. “You should be having fun,” Julio said. He sat on the stool next to her, leaning in far too close for her comfort. His breath reeked of alcohol, making vomit rise to the back of her throat.

“Forgive me Senor, but this isn’t exactly my type of fun,” she said. She glanced back over to Hyukjae who was still preoccupied with the dozens of women that surrounded him. She bit her tongue, turning to face the bar.

“No. Of course not. You prefer… more private fun,” he slurred. He placed a hand on her knee, making her jump. “You know, I’m more fun in private too.”

From his seat, Hyukjae noticed the girls around giggling and not hanging onto his every word. “What’s so funny?” he asked, taking a sip from another whiskey that had been handed to him. “Pay attention to Oppa.” They pointed to the bar where Rosita was currently sitting. Julio was next to her, dangerously close. She seemed severely uncomfortable

“The poor thing. Imagine only attracting men when they’re drunk,” the girls laughed. He ignored the girls, keeping a narrowed gaze on them and watching as Julio placed his hand on Rosita’s knee. Standing up, the girls began to whine about where he was going. They grabbed onto his hand, desperate to keep him with them. He brushed them off, making a beeline for Rosita.

He moved into the small space between her stool and Julio’s. He knocked his manager’s hand off her knee, startling both her and Julio. He towered over her protectively, his body incredibly close to hers. She stared up at Hyukjae, thoroughly confused. He ran a hand through his hair, offering her a lopsided grin.

“Wanna get outta here?” he asked. Immediately she smiled, holding out her hand.

“I thought you’d never ask.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the bar and away from a drunk Julio and quite a few peeved women. They ran through the town, laughing all the way. The roads were empty for the night. They didn’t stop until they were in a field far away from the noise of the town. Both of them collapsed onto the soft grass, giggling like a couple of children.

A cool breeze passed through the field. Rosita wrapped her shawl around her tighter, shivering slightly. Hyukjae scooted closer to her, pulling her into his side. They laid in complete silence, staring up at the twinkling stars.

“Tell me a story,” he whispered into her hair. She smelled like the flowers that had fallen out of her hair when they ran. She pointed to the stars above her.

“Do you see the three stars that form a sort of straight line?” she asked. He hummed, pulling her closer to him and snuggling against her.. He was always a cuddly drunk. “Well, that forms the belt of Orion. And the legend behind him starts with his birth.

“He was the son of the god Posiedon and Euryale, daughter of King Minos of Crete. Thanks to his father, Orion had the ability to walk on water, which is how he reached the island of Chios. There, after drinking too much, he made sexual advances to Merope, the daughter of the local king. King Oenopion had him blinded and removed from the island. Blind Orion reached the island of Lemnos, which was the place where god Hephaestus had his forge. Helped by Hephaestus and his servant Cedalion, Orion reached the East where the sun god Helios restored his eyesight.

“However, his lesson was not learned. He ended up falling in love with the fertility goddess Artemis. He challenged her archery skills and even attempted to rape her. For his crimes, she sent a scorpion to kill him. Successful in his feat, he was killed as well. Poseidon placed his son in the sky and Artemis placed the Scorpion on the other side as a reminder to humans to be wary of their arrogance and pride. As the hunter sets in the west, thus rises the scorpion from the east.”

From beside her, she could hear Hyukjae’s soft snores. Giggling softly, she threw her shawl over him as well, staring at the face she could slightly make out in the dark. Carefully she let her hand gently caress his face, outlining the features she saw often in her dreams. Letting out a sigh, she rested her head atop of his, feeling his soft breathing tickle her neck. She closed her eyes, savoring the soft, quiet moment.

The next morning, Hyukjae awoke in his inn room. He didn’t remember how he got there, or much of the night for that matter. The last thing he remembered was being surrounded by a bunch of people at the bar, then everything goes fuzzy. What wasn’t fuzzy was the pounding headache in his skull. He groaned, rubbing his throbbing temples. He noticed a tall glass of water next to his bed along with a note written in what he recognizes as Rosita’s handwriting.

“Good Morning Sunshine,

I hope you slept well. If I’m correct, which I usually am, you should be waking up just before noon. Lunch will be delivered to the room shortly. Eat quickly and come to the ring. You have to practice before your big night tomorrow! I’ll be in town if you need anything, or want to ditch practice. (Don’t. This is your dream. Even if it’s murder.)

Love,

Rosita”

Hyukjae didn’t bother trying to read the scratched out line. If it had been important, she would have rewritten it. And just as she predicted, outside the clock struck noon. There was a soft knock on his door and a young boy entered carrying a tray. He set the tray down and quickly left. Hyukjae couldn’t help but smile. She knew him so well.

He quickly ate his lunch before making his way to the arena. Julio was already there, nursing a hangover. He glanced up, eyes squinted as he stared at Hyukjae. Hyukjae nodded, staring around the arena. It was completely empty, save for him and Julio. He held onto his muleta, pretending the arena was full and there was an angry bull ready to end his life. He chuckled at that thought, Rosita was starting to rub off on him. He began practicing, trying different lunging styles and hypothetical moves he could use.

Time seemed to be suspended around him as he lost himself in his practice. The sun began to set, painting the sky in darker hues of orange and yellow. Perspiration trickled down his face as he continued to practice, perfecting the moves he’d done a thousand times and incorporating his new ones. Only when he stopped for a break did he realize Julio had left.

Rosita had replaced him. She had ditched the traditional dresses she usually wore, opting for loose trousers and a loose shirt. One of his, he noticed. It’s the same type of outfit she wore when they traveled around. Her hair was loose, the wind whipping strands around her face. The setting sun gave her a golden hue.

He smiled, jogging over to her.

“Hola, how was your day?” he asked. She handed him a glass of water, a playful smirk on her face.

“Oh you know, I spent most of it out in a field. Exploring, enjoying the fresh air, seeing the wild animals. I found a free range farm nearby,” she said. “Scared a family and was almost shot.” He shook his head as she grinned. He took a gulp of the water before dumping the rest onto his face and hair. He welcomed the cool water, letting out a satisfied sigh. He used his sleeve to dry his eyes before looking at Rosita with a pointed look.

She stared at him in awe. The water glistened off his skin and hair as he stared at her with concern. Her heart beat widely in her chest, pounding like thunder and causing heat to rise to her cheeks. She turned her head away, trying to steady herself.

He grabbed her chin gently, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes went wide as she stared at him. “You need to be careful,” he said. He gave her a smirk. “You can’t yell at me for almost dying then get yourself killed.” She swatted his hand away, sticking her tongue out.

“Yeah, well, I’m smarter than you,” she said. His jaw dropped. An evil grin took over his face. “I don’t like that look on your face.” She eyed him wearily.

“What look? I don’t have a look,” he responded, slowly moving closer. She watched him take three more steps before she started running. He chased after her, laughing hysterically. She ran around the ring with him chasing her. She used the moves he used during his fights to dodge him. Only, she forgot that he used those moves and knows all the tricks. It wasn’t long before he tackled her. They both fell to the ground, but Hyukjae made sure Rosita fell on him so he wouldn’t accidently crush her. He was laughing uncontrollably.

“You’re the absolute worst,” she groaned. He giggled, lifting his head to stare at her. Their faces were centimeters apart. She stared back at him, her eyes wide and unblinking. He stared back, confused as to why she was so quiet. He sat up further, moving her so their heads wouldn’t hit each other. She coughed awkwardly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“There’s supposed to be another party tonight,” she said, staring at the dirt.

“Jinjjah?” he said, not paying much attention to her weird behavior. She hummed. “What for?”

“To welcome the other Matadors for tomorrow.” He pursed his lips, looking up at the sky. It was now a pinkish/violet shade. “I don’t need to be looking at you to know you’re pouting.” Her comment made him pout harder. She glanced up at him, chuckling. “So, are you going to the party?” He shrugged.

“Probably. I can’t practice anymore today,” he told her. She nodded. “Are you going to go?” She shook her head.

“You know I don’t like parties,” she said. “Besides, I want to be well rested for your big fight tomorrow. So I’m trusting you not to get wasted. Please get back to the Inn at a decent time to get some sleep. If you don’t, an angry bull will be the least of your worries.” He scoffed, shaking his head. He looked over to her smiling. She smiled back, her head resting on her knees.

He walked her back to the Inn, biding her a goodnight before he changed for the party. His outfit was more relaxed than usual. He wasn’t going with Rosita, so there was no need for him to wear anything special, even more so since it was a casual event. He pulled on black slacks and a black button up. He grabbed a jacket and a headband to hold his hair back. Once his boots were laced up, he made his way to the party.

When he arrived, he found a crowd of people standing outside, shuffling around. They spotted him and began to yell hurtful, cruel, and hateful comments at him. They called him a murderer, a disgrace, scum of the Earth. He pushed past them as they continued to yell at him and insult his integrity. Once he was in the safety of the bar, he brushed himself off.

The party felt different, Hyukjae noticed. He couldn’t seem to place why it felt different though. Maybe it was because everything wasn’t loud and outrageous, or maybe it was because of those assholes outside, or maybe, just maybe, it was because Rosita was back at the Inn fast asleep.

Swallowing thickly, he made his way to the bar where multiple matadors he recognized were seated. Trying to keep his wit about him, he took a seat near them. They waved him over, greeting him cheerfully. They engaged in blissful conversation about bullfighting, and Hyukjae felt his previous tension melt away. They gave him a shot of tequila. He promised Rosita he wouldn’t over do it, but he couldn’t very well turn it down.

A pretty young girl shyly approached him at one point, confessing of being a big fan. He smirked, offering her hand a kiss and wishing her a goodnight. She left blushing and giggling. The other matadors laughed, patting his back and making obscene comments. Then another girl approached. Then another. Then another. At this point the other matadors had stopped congratulating. Instead, they glared at him as women clung onto his arm, some as bold as to whisper their secret wishes to him. He amused each and everyone of them with winks and promises of visiting them.

Once his little crowd diminished, he glanced at the other matadors, eager to continue their talk about bullfighting. They were staring at him in disgust, hate very much evident in their eyes. Uncomfortable, he looked around the bar.

That was when he spotted his manager talking with a young guy he’d never seen before. Curious, he made his way over there. He took a seat at a nearby table, his back to his manager. He kept an ear open to hear what they were talking about.

“Are you sure I can be as great as Eunhyuk?” the young guy asked. Hyukjae smirked, taking a sip of his tequila. The kid reminded him of, well, him. He remembered almost saying the exact same thing.

“That guy? He’s a good kid, but he’s cocky. You--you are perfecto. You’re humble. You’re adorable. Women will fall at your feet for a chance to even talk to you. I’m telling you Mijo, you’re gonna be bigger than what’s-his-name. That I can guarantee,” Julio said.

Hyukjae clutched his glass in his hand. Tears pricked his eyes as he glared at the table. He slammed his glass down onto the table, storming out of the bar. He angrily stormed past the protestors, shoving past them. He ignored their yelling, storming out of town as tears fell down his face despite his efforts not to cry. He wiped them away angrily, glaring as he walked somewhere. He didn’t know where he was going, he just knew that he needed to leave that stupid town behind him.

The crisp night air nipped at his skin and dried his salty tears as he wandered the open grasslands that laid just outside the town. Everything out here was so nice and peaceful. He let the wind cool him down as his pace began to slow. He looked up at the stars. He watched as they twinkled above him, and immediately he spotted a row of three. Orion. Killed by a scorpion because of his arrogance and pride. Hyukjae let out a bitter laugh. Arrogance, pride, everything he had. Maybe this was his scorpion. Maybe this was the universe telling him he was arrogant and cocky and everything was going bad because he was bad.

He hadn’t meant to be arrogant. He had only tried to be the best he could. Maybe he deserved this. He left his best friend in a town that was awful and full of crappy people, and now he didn’t know how to get back. He sat on the ground, burying his head in his hands. He wallowed in self-pity in the silent night.

“Tanto tiempo disfrutamos de este amor.  
Nuestras almas se acercaron tanto así.  
Que yo guardo tu sabor.  
Pero tú llevas también.  
Sabor a mí.”

He lifted his head up from his hands, looking around the field. He could have sworn he had heard someone singing. He listened closely to try hear where it was coming from.

“Si negaras mi presencia en tu vivir.  
Bastaría con abrazarte y conversar.  
Tanta vida yo te di.  
Que por fuerza tienes ya.  
Sabor a mí.”

He stood up, wiping his eyes. He began walking towards where he thought the voice was coming from. He didn’t know who he’d find, but maybe they could lead him back to town.

“No pretendo ser tu dueño.  
No soy nada yo no tengo vanidad.  
De mi vida doy lo bueno.  
Soy tan pobre, qué otra cosa puedo dar.”

Up ahead he spotted a figure surrounded by what seemed to be bulls. The bulls were laying next to the singing voice, a woman he’s deduced. The woman was sitting there, singing to them. He slowed his pace, curious as to what she was doing.

“Pasarán más de mil años, muchos más.  
Yo no sé si tenga amor la eternidad.  
Pero allá, tal como aquí.  
En la boca llevarás.  
Sabor a mí.”

He stopped a few meters back, watching her curiously. She was petting the bulls, singing to them as they drifted off to sleep. Her voice was pretty and Hyukjae felt himself beginning to calm down as well.

“No pretendo ser tu dueño.  
No soy nada yo no tengo vanidad.  
De mi vida doy lo bueno.  
Soy tan pobre, qué otra cosa puedo dar.  
Pasarán más de mil años, muchos más.  
Yo no sé si tenga amor la eternidad.  
Pero allá, tal como aquí.  
En la boca llevarás.  
Sabor a mí.”

She stopped singing but continued to hum, gently stroking the bull’s head. Hyukjae stared at her amazed, how she managed to calm such dangerous creatures was truly amazing. He cleared his throat so as to not startle her, but it was she who startled him. For she wasn’t the stranger he had been expecting to meet.

She was Rosita. She turned to stare at Hyukjae. He was in absolute shock. His best friend, his number one supporter, was sitting alone in the middle of a field, surrounded by bulls--not just surrounded by them, but singing them songs?

“Rosita? What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” she said. She didn’t get up, instead, she continued to pet the bulls. One rested its head on her lap, staring up at her with big, dark eyes. She smiled, petting him gently and tenderly. “I thought you were at a party.”

“Yeah, well, the company wasn’t what I thought they’d be,” he said, a sharp edge to his tone. Rosita didn’t say anything. She patted a spot next to her and Hyukjae took a seat. She waited for him to explain at his own pace. He reached over to pet the bull resting in her lap. It let out a huff of breath, making him pull his hand back. She grabbed his hand back, guiding it along the bull’s head. The bull let out another huff, its eyes falling shut. “Julio is a jerk. He doesn’t care about me. All he cares about is how many pesos he can make off me.”

“When’d you figure that out?” she asked. She was agitated with that fool. She knew he’d mess up, she was just glad it hadn't cost Hyukjae his life like she had always feared.

“When he told some newbie kid that I was cocky and arrogant, and that he’d be bigger than me.” Rosita bit her tongue, willing herself not to go find him and cuss him out in every language she knew. “I don’t know why I’m so surprised. I’m such a babo.”

“Stop it.” Hyukjae turned to look at Rosita. She was staring directly at him. The look of distraught on his face broke her heart. “You’re not a babo. If anything, he’s the babo. You’re a smart, caring, passionate guy. You’re not cocky or arrogant. You’re confident, and why shouldn’t you be? You’re Eunhyuk el Matador Incredible. People travel from all over the country to see you.” He stared at her as she told him this. She was telling him he was amazin for killing bulls, as she sang to them.

“Why do you support me?” he asked. She looked at him surprised. Why would he ever ask such a ridiculous question? “You obviously care for these beasts. Why would you support their murder?” She chuckled and shook her head.

“Just like you aren’t a babo, they aren’t beasts. Like you, they’re living, breathing creatures. They have feelings and hearts that beat--just like you. Just because they aren’t human doesn’t make them ‘beasts’. But you’re wrong, I don’t support their slaughter for sport. I hate bullfighting, animals shouldn’t be murdered simply because they can be.

“But it was never about the bulls, it was about you. I support you. This is what you’ve dreamt of your whole life. I couldn’t and didn’t want to take that away from you. That’s why I attend the fights, that’s why I go to the parties, that’s why I followed you. Because you needed someone to support you.”

“You know, you’re kind of amazing,” he told her, a look of complete awe on his face. She let out a snort.

“Only kind of?” she teased. He watched her carefully. She wasn’t looking at him anymore. Instead she was staring up at the stars, watching as they twinkled and finding every constellation she could. She glanced over to him, their eyes meeting in an intense gaze. He felt himself leaning in, eyes gauging her reaction. She didn’t move towards him or away from him. She waited for him to move, watching him as he watched her.

Her eyes fell shut just before their lips met. He lost himself in her touch, her lips soft and delicate against his. After all the years they spent together, how had he never once kissed her? Why did he enjoy it so much? So many questions ran through his head. He grabbed the back of her hair, tangling his finger into her soft locks. She let out a gasp and he jumped back, worried he’d done something wrong.

Her eyes were wide as she stared at him. She didn’t know what to make of the situation. And quite truthfully, neither did he.

“I’m sorry.” He jumped up and ran away from her. Rosita tried to move with him, but the bull’s head in her lap made her struggle. By the time she stood up, he was long gone. She didn’t chase him, knowing it wouldn’t do either of them any good.

Hyukjae ran until he found himself back in town. He went straight to his room at the inn. He laid down on his bed as hundreds of questions ran through his head. Why had he kissed her? Why had she kissed him back? What did it mean? What was she thinking?

He rolled to his side to try and sleep, but sleep didn’t come easy for him. He laid flat on his back, his arm tucked underneath his head as the kiss replayed in his head over and over again. No matter how hard he tried to push his thoughts out of his mind, he simply couldn’t. And when the sun began peaking over the horizon, filtering through his dusty window, he gave up any hope of trying to sleep.

He splashed cold water onto his face, desperately trying to bring some type of life to his face. There was a knock at his door, startling him. He turned to it anxiously, beckoning the person in. There was a slight disappointment when a young boy opened the door, carrying a silver tray with a cup on it. The boy set the tray on the nightstand and left quickly. Hyukjae sighed, grabbing the cup and taking a sip. He stopped, staring down at the cup. It was coffee. Coffee that was made just how his mother used to make it.

On the tray sat a note. On the note was handwriting he knew all too well. He couldn’t bring himself to read the note, and instead set the coffee down. On a nearby chair was his outfit. It was dark blue with gold designs sewn into the suit. It was Rosita’s favorite and he promised to wear it today. Biting back a sigh, he began getting ready for his fight.

The arena was packed. Hundreds of Mexican citizens gathered to watch the bullfight. Hyukjae stood out of their view, but he could hear them screaming and chanting and cheering. He listened as they chanted his name, but it didn’t fill him with excitement like it used to. It didn’t amp him up and get his adrenaline pumping. Instead it filled him with a sense of dread.

Julio came barreling down the hallway, a bounce in his step as he approached Hyukjae. It took all of Hyukjae’s might not to punch his bastard of a manager square in the face. Julio paid no mind to his rigid stance, instead going over to look out over the crowd.

“This is it Mijo. If you do well in this fight, your next fight could be in Espana!” Julio said. While a couple of days ago, this would have made his heart soar, it now left a bad feeling in the pit of Hyukjae’s stomach. “Come on Mijo! Listen to the crowd! They love you! Now go out there and wow them!” Julio patted his back before he shoved Hyukjae into the arena.

The fans went wild. Men drank and cheered when he began to anger the bull. Women fanned themselves as the sun beat down on them, sweat dripping down their foreheads as they called for him. On the sides were the other matadors, curious to see why his fanbase was so big.

In the middle of the arena stood Eunhyuk el Matador Incredible, one of the country’s best matadors. Everyone was cheering for him as he easily dodged the charging bull. He waved his muleta around, doing a dance where one wrong move could cost him his life. As his fans chanted his name, he found his heart was not in the arena.

He did a quick turn and his breath caught in his throat. In the stand was the only and last person he wanted to see. Rosita sat in the middle, surrounded by random citizens. Her eyes were on Hyukjae, the rest of her face hidden behind her fan. The sun cast a golden halo over her, and Hyukjae wondered if she’d always been this gorgeous. She brought her fan down from her face, offering him a small smile.

He turned back to face the bull. Multiple banderillas were already lodged in the bull. All he had to do was successfully stick his sword between the bull’s shoulder blades and he’d be famous. He’d be in Spain doing the one thing he’s been dreaming of for years. Taking a deep breath, sweat trickling down his forehead, he called the bull forth to him. The bull stared at him with big, brown eyes, and he knew what he had to do.

The bull charged and Hyukjae moved to the side, letting it crash into the side of the arena. It shook its head and went to kneal, resting its head on the floor of the arena. There was a collective gasp from the audience. He threw the muleta down, turning to look at the crowd. They were staring at him in complete shock.

“Killing the bull is wrong!” he shouted. Everyone was silent as Hyukjae scanned the crowd. He found Rosita easily and looked at her. She was ginning at him. She stood and began to cheer loudly, earning a few disgruntled looks.

That was when everyone else started to boo. They threw their drinks at him and yelled curses at him. The other matadors snickered and pointed at him while Julio shook his fist from the side. He hung his head and left the arena. This was no longer a place for him.

He sat outside the arena, his head resting against the building as he watched the clouds above him. There were no thoughts in his head as the clouds slowly moved across the vast blue sky. He didn’t want to think. He wanted to be completely numb and sit here with nothing but the dirt under him.

“That was very brave of you to do.” As always, there was Rosita to comfort him when he needed it most. She’s always been caring and sweet to him, taking care of him when no one else would. A weird feeling bloomed in his chest at that thought. Was this… affection? Adoration? Dare I say, love?

“Yeah, well, now I’m out of a job, and the whole town hates me,” he said, pushing those dangerous thoughts from his mind. She moved to sit next to him, her skirt, the same color as his suit he noticed, spreading out over the ground.

“I don’t hate you,” she told him quietly. He let out a deep sigh, running a hand over his face.

“Rosita--”

“Listen,” she interrupted. She took a deep breath, going over the speech she had practiced a thousand times last night when she couldn’t sleep. “I know that a lot of things can happen while you’re ‘in-the-moment’, and I want you to know, you don’t have to stress about the kiss. We don’t have to talk about it or even acknowledge that it happened.”

Two hearts broke at that. Hyukjae looked down at the ground, flicking the small pebbles of dirt around. Rosita watched him intently, desperately trying to gauge his reaction. After a while he nodded, pushing down his own agony and putting her first.

“Yeah. That sounds like a plan,” he said. Rosita forced a smile, her heart shattering a million times over.

“YOU!” they both jumped at the sudden intrusion. Julio stood there, his fists clenched at his sides. “YOU SON OF A BITCH!” He stomped towards them with pure rage in his eyes. He raised his fists, screaming curses as Hyukjae in Spanish. He was quick to get to him, but Rosita was quicker. She stood and landed a punch square across his jaw. He spun in a circle before falling to the ground. He laid there unmoving, and Hyukjae sat there stunned and amazed.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to do that,” she said as she shook her hand. She turned to Hyukjae and held out her hand. “Come on. We’re getting out of here.” Hyukjae took her hand, pushing himself up from the ground.

“Where are we going?” he inquired as he stepped over Julio’s, hopefully, unconscious body.

“Anywhere but here. You know, I’ve heard some interesting tales about the American west,” she said. He raised his brows. “A dangerous and wild place, waiting to be tamed.” She grinned at him as she pulled him along.

And that was exactly what they did. They “borrowed” two horses and started their journey up north to America. They traveled through many towns and were welcomed with warm arms. Many had heard of Eunhyuk el Matador Incredible and were excited to meet him. He reveled in the attention, but his heart simply there. For, unbeknownst to her, it laid in the hands of his best friend.

They rode until they came to a small town called Heartsease. It was a small town in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but dirt surrounded the town for miles. The sun sat high in the sky, beating them down with merciless heat. Sweat dripped down their faces and necks as they stopped at a nearby “saloon”.

“Can I help you?” A man with a cowboy hat and a shiny badge approached them, a hand resting on his holster. He paused when his eyes met Rosia’s, eyes glazing over slightly. Hyukjae clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to roll his eyes to the back of his head.

“Hola,” Rosita greeted. “My name is Rosita, and this is my friend, Hyukjae. We’ve been traveling for many days from our home country of Mexico. We were hoping you’d be so generous as to let us rest and refuel for a few days.” The man offered her a sweet smile.

“Of course! Please, make yourselves at home. I’m Sheriff Siwon. We have plenty of refreshments for you and an inn where you’ll be more than comfortable. Hae-won! Come here please! Allow me to introduce my sister,” he said. A young woman came forward. Her dark hair was pulled to the side to sit on her shoulder. She wore a black dress with a black corset tied to give her a desirable body shape.

“I’m Choi Hae-won. It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” she said, offering Rosita and Hyukjae a warm smile. If you have any questions, please don’t be shy in asking. I’ll gladly help in any way I’m able. Welcome to Heartsease, New Mexico.”


	2. The Extent of Ignorance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee Donghae has been on a mission of self-righteousness ever since his parent’s untimely murder. After the criminal escaped, Donghae made it his mission to bring that man to justice, by any means necessary. But after his inevitable success, there’s still a hole inside him he can’t seem to fill. So he travels throughout the wild, wild west, taking down fugitives left and right. It’s only when he meets one and gets to know them on a personal level does he realize that blind justice won’t fill the hole inside him. But fate doesn’t give things easy, and he’ll be faced with an impossible choice that may leave a bigger hole. Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon


	3. Begins in Delight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shin Donghee is in a tough spot. His once successful and booming business is slowing down and has almost grinded to a complete halt. While drowning his sorrows, he overhears a plan that may save his dying business. The plan is easy enough to follow, and he feels he has the easiest part. Then why does he fail so miserably? Because he left out one key factor: love. Now he’s he really stuck between a rock and a hard place. He’s now faced with two options: follow his heart to his business, or follow his heart to her. Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon...


	4. Death was an Exaggeration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Choi Siwon is the much-respected sheriff of his beloved small town of Heartsease. However, his success as the sheriff has been purely accidental. The true hero behind his success is his little sister- a woman with brains and beauty. But when one of his accidental successes escapes, the whole town turns against him. He turns to his younger sister for support and help. She offers him an idea that could save his reputation, but it may cost a man his life. Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon


	5. Nevermore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Park Jungsoo is on the run. Years of bad deeds have finally caught up to him. There’s only one person he can turn to now: the woman whose heart he shattered years ago. She wants nothing to do with him, but you never forget your first love. Now she’s an accomplice, and he’s found himself in trouble once again. He has two choices: run and break her heart once more, or run and take her with him. Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon


	6. A Homesickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim Ryeowook lives a simple life. After taking over his father’s business, his life couldn’t be more at peace and he couldn’t be happier. Or so he thought. When a couple strangers come into town, they turn his simple world upside down. He learns to take risks and to live life as if each day is his last, but he never thought he’d fall in love. Now he has to find a way to keep the free-spirited woman who’s captured his heart to stay. Oh Mamacita!

It was a bright, sunny day in the small town of Heartsease, New Mexico. The small town was bustling with its usual activities as local and visitors alike went about their business. At the edge of town was the barber’s shop where Kim Ryeowook was working.

He led a simple life, he did. He had inherited his father’s business and had done a fairly good job keeping business steady. Cowboys and bounty hunters were constantly coming through, and they almost always were in need of a good trim. Ryeowook was always willing to make them more presentable, as they always seemed fascinated with the local ladies. He didn’t blame them, of course. The women of this town were undeniably beautiful.

He didn’t chase them though. He didn’t have time for such pleasantries. He had a business to run. It wasn’t like he wasn’t interested in them, or that they weren’t interested in him. On the contrary, most of the women harbored a tiny crush for the sweet barber. He had an innocent face to him and most of the town, and even passing visitors, considered him a safe man--the kind of man fathers want their daughters to marry. He worked a simple job, in a simple town, with a simple life.

Everything seemed to change when he was, quite literally thrown to the ground. It had started out as any other regular day. Donghee was already at work when Ryeowook arrived at his shop. Donghee was usually up before anyone else because slaving over a fire under the scorching sun was not fun or healthy. He was finishing up his work just as Ryeowook was beginning his. He offered him a small wave while his metals cooled.

“Good morning!” he called. Ryeowook waved back, offering the same greeting. “Isn’t your shipment due today?”

“Yeah. I’m expecting the carriage here soon,” Ryeowook replied. “What’re you working on?” Donghee grabbed metal grippers, and picked up his project. It was a horseshoe. Ryeowook nodded approvingly before going to get ready to open his shop.

As he was waiting for his new supplies, he spotted the fruit cart coming up his way. Instead of Kagin, the owner, it was his employee Corrine. She was a cute, shy thing. She had pretty pale skin and dark hair that hid her face most of the time. She brought the cart down to the end and picked a couple of fruits. She gave a couple to Donghee, not accepting any type of payment. He smiled gratefully.

She walked to Ryeowook, smiling softly. He waved as he brushed the dust off his chair that sat outside. “How are you today?” he inquired.

“Quite fine,” she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “And yourself?”

“Just dandy. I’m waiting for my supplies to arrive.”

“Oh, that’s right. Kangin has a new delivery of produce coming in as well. I should probably head over there. You know how he gets when he’s stressed.” They both giggled and Corrine bid him a good day.

“You two are the cutest pair.” Ryeowook turned to where Donghee was leaning against his shop ledge. He had a smirk on his face as he bit into an apple. Ryeowook shook his head. “Come on! She was so into you.”

“Being nice doesn’t mean anything,” he said, heat rising to his cheeks. Donghee let out a snort.

“Yeah, okay,” he mumbled.

Ryeowook didn’t respond as the cart holding his supplies came by. A man in a well tailored suit stepped out of the cart and opened the back where a few boxes sat. Ryeowook thanked the man and began unloading the boxes while the man headed off to wherever he wanted. As he set the boxes down, he heard the distant sound of hooves fast approaching. He thought nothing of it considering he was at the edge of a midpoint town. He simply continued to unload the boxes, disconcerted with the approaching hooves.

That was until a body slammed into his, knocking him to the ground and falling on top of him. He fell with a loud yell, his glasses falling off his face. He laid on his back with an unknown person on him. He let out a loud groan, pain flooding his system.

“What was that for?” he groaned. He glanced around until he found his glasses. Thankfully they weren’t cracked or damaged. He brushed the dust off them and put them on. He looked at the person who had pushed him and froze.

On top of him had to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She was staring down at him with big, round eyes, her braids falling over her shoulders. The sun gave her an angelic glow, which only seemed to enhance how stunning he found her.

She pushed herself off of him and stood up. She brushed the dirt off the skirt of her dress before she held her hand out for him. He grabbed her hand and pulled himself up, brushing the dirt off of him as well. She tilted her head to stare down the road.

“You should really pay better attention,” she said, turning to look at him. “You were almost run over by a wild horse. Didn’t you hear it?” She was staring at him expectantly, her hands planted on her hips. A fan was in one of them, the same shade of purple as her dress.

“I mean, I did. I just--I thought--I assumed it was another--another cowboy or something,” he stuttered out, mentally cursing himself. “You saved my life. Thank you.” She smiled, nodding her head. She glanced down and her smile fell.

“Oh! Your boxes!” He looked down to where a couple of boxes laid trampled on the ground. He sighed, kneeling down to try and salvage anything he could. “Were they important?” she asked. Despite his near-death experience, luck was on his side. All that had been in them was covers and other stuff that didn’t need to be replaced right away.

“No, thank goodness.” He stood back up, dusting his pants off. He turned to his savior. He swallowed thickly, a wave of nerves washing over him. “I’m, uh, I’m Ryeowook.” She smiled, flashing her pearly whites.

“Rosita.” He had to hold back a sigh. Even her name was beautiful. He scratched the back of his neck, drawing his mouth into a thin line.

“Rosita.” He liked the way her name sounded coming from his mouth. It rolled off his tongue with such ease. “Are you new to town?” he asked. He was certain he knew the answer, otherwise how had he missed such a beautiful woman his whole life?

“Si, my friend and I are taking a few days to rest and recharge after our long journey,” she said. “We’re looking for a place to stay here in America. We arrived here late yesterday.”

“Oh, have you had a chance to explore Heartsease?” This had piqued his interest. He hadn’t even considered her leaving, and now that she was here, and willing to settle down somewhere, he was willing to do anything to convince her to stay.

“That’s the funny thing,” she said, a teasing smirk on her face. “I was on my way to see what this town had to offer in fun and wouldn’t you know it, I had to save a man’s life.” Ryeowook blushed, running a hand through his hair.

“Right. Thank you, again.” He bit his bottom lip as he stared at Rosita. “I could show you around,” he offered. He pushed his glasses up his nose. He didn’t know where the sudden boldness came from, but he was willing to do whatever it took to make sure she stayed here in Heartsease. He was certain she could hear his heart hammering away in his chest as he waited for her response. “I mean, it’s the least I can do after you, quite literally, saved my life.”

She smirked. “I think I’d like that.” He offered her his arm, trying to keep his breathing steady. She placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, allowing him to lead her around the town. He completely forgot about his boxes that laid on the side of the dirt road.

Their first stop was to the most popular place Heartsease had to offer, the Saloon. He pushed the door open and the owner turned around. He gave Ryeowook a smile, welcoming him with open arms. He greeted Rosita as well, turning on his well-known charisma and charm. And just every other woman, both local and foreign, she fell right into the palm of his hand.

“So, what does a pretty woman like you drink?” he asked. He leant forward on the bar, resting on his forearms.

“Water.” Ryeowook let out a snort, covering his laugh with a cough. “If I’m feeling adventurous, coffee.” 

“Seems like you found the perfect woman for you,” Heechul said, shooting Ryeowook a wink. He blushed, waving away his comment. He bid Heechul a good day and led Rosita away before he could embarrass him more

Kangin was at his shop with Corrine. People were milling about, buying the fresh produce that had just been delivered. Rosita went to look around and Ryeowook trailed behind her, observing her as she looked at all the different options he had: apples, watermelons, bananas, and more.

“Ryeowook!” He turned to see Corrine waving at him. He waved back and turned to Rosita. Only, she had disappeared. He looked around and found her chatting with Kangin, pointing at the different fruit. He made his way to her, maneuvering past other customers as they continued their shopping.

“Ryeowook! How are you?” Kangin said, brushing his long blonde hair away from his face.

“You disappeared,” he said to Rosita, ignoring his friend. She smiled innocently.

“I was just buying some apples, she told him, holding up a bag with a few apples inside.

“Buying? I’m sure you conned me out of those apples,” Kangin laughed. She feigned a gasp, bringing her hand to her chest.

“You insult my integrity! I would never,” she said. Kanging hummed, shooting her a wink. Ryeowook pouted.

“As fun as this has been,” he said, placing a hand on the small of Rosita’s back, “we should get going.” He pulled Rosita away from the fruit shop, ignoring Corrine’s calls of his name. Why did all of his friends have this sudden need to flirt? Were they always like that?

They ended up back at his barber shop where his boxes had been moved from the side of the road to his front door. Rosita took a seat in the chair that was outside, spinning around and laghung. She had such an innocent fun glow to her that Ryeowook found himself laughing along with her, despite that being one of his biggest pet peeves.

He watched her with a love-sick grin as she spun about, her head thrown back as she laughed. She closed her eyes and threw her hands in the air, basking in the sun’s warmth. He leant on the railing of the front deck, resting his head in his hand.

“So, Ryeowook, what do you do for fun around here?” she asked once the chair had stopped spinning. He was snapped out of his daze, blinking blankly at her. She giggled, standing up on wobbly legs. She fell forward but caught herself on the railing. Their faces were inches apart. Ryeowook felt his heart jump to his throat and his face light on fire at her close proximity.

“You showed me some cool places,” she said, unbothered by what had transpired moments earlier, “but what do you do for fun?” He opened his mouth to answer her, but nothing came out. He closed his mouth, thinking about his daily life. Fun. He didn’t really have time for fun, or he didn’t make time for it. His life consisted of working, sleeping, and eating. He didn’t do much outside of that.

He shrugged, unsure what to say or do. Her mouth fell open, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. He found that he liked that little smirk of hers. There was something compelling about that slightly condescending look of hers.

“Come on, surely you have to do something fun,” she said. She leant in close, quirking a brow. He swallowed the lump in his throat, desperate to steady his breathing.

“If I’m having a slow day, I read,” he offered. She clicked her tongue, shaking her head. She pushed herself away from the railing, resting her hands on her hips. She turned her back to him for a few moments before she whirled around.

“Nope. That’s not fun. Come on.” She descended his steps and held out her hand for him. He looked down at her hand, up at her, then back down at her hand. He quirked a brow, glancing up to meet her gaze. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the edge of town.

“Where are we going?” he asked. She shushed him, pulling him along the dirt road. She led him to an empty, nearby pasture that she and Eunhyuk had passed on their way to Heartsease. The field was absolutely nothing surrounded by nothing.

Rosita let his hand go, picking up her skirt and running to the middle of the field. She laughed and held her arms out, basking in the sun’s warm glow once again. Ryeowook watched her curiously, trying to figure out what exactly she was planning.

“Do you know what a matador is?” she asked suddenly, turning to look at him. He blinked, caught off guard by her question.

“A bullfighter,” he answered. He looked around the field. “What does that have to do with why we’re in the middle of an empty field?” She let out a sigh, shrugging her shoulders. She sat down on the grass, messing with the blades of grass.

“My friend was a matador. I used to watch him practice everyday for years,” she told him. Ryeowook sat next to her, propping himself on his elbows. He adjusted his glasses, turning his head to look at Rosita. His hair fell over his eyes slightly.

“Why isn’t he one anymore?” he inquired. A sour look took over her face. He immediately regretted the question. She seemed so upset and angry over whatever reason her friend stopped bullfighting. He found himself angry too. Wanting to once again see her breath-taking smile, he changed the subject. “So, why an empty field?”

A slight smirk appeared on her face. “I don’t know,” she said. She looked up, using her hand to block the bright light from her eyes. “There’s just--something peaceful about it. You know? I mean, look around. It’s so quiet here. When I would travel around with my friend, we were always surrounded by noise. It was always so loud that you could hardly hear yourself think.

“Because bullfighting is popular in Mexico, there’s usually always fields by the towns where it’s just quiet. It’s where they’ll raise… bulls!” Rosita pointed down the pasture. Turning his head, he found a couple of bulls roaming that he hadn’t noticed, too engrossed with Rosita to notice or care, quietly munching on the grass. He turned back to her and she was staring at him with a dangerous glint in her eye. He quirked a brow, looking back over to the bulls. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked for probably the hundredth time since they stood up. Rosita had taken it upon herself to teach him some of the moves her friend used when he was pissing the bulls off.

“I’m positive. You don’t have to actually be inside the fence to do it. They won’t charge, but the movement will capture their attention,” she said.

“Yeah, I got that part, but why am I doing this?” She shook her head, a smile taking over her face.

“Fun. Adventure. A story. Take your pick. Now, take your coat off,” she said. Despite every ounce of his being telling him to keep his coat on and go back to the barber shop, he did as she asked and removed his coat.

He didn’t have anything fancy on, just a buttoned shirt with a vest over it. He put his coat on the ground, rolling his sleeves up to rest at his elbows. He glanced at Rosita and found her biting her lip. They made brief eye contact and she looked away, staring up at the clouds. A coy smile tugged at his mouth as he grabbed his coat.

“Okay, now what?”

She showed him the proper way to hold the cape and taught him a few steps she’d seen Eunhyuk use a thousand and one times. Ryeowook did his best to mimic her, waving his coat around like she did her fan. He was doing well too, following her steps exactly. She gave him a thumbs up. He grinned and continued to wave his coat around, adding some weird moves that had her giggling.

Loud thundering drew their attention to the bulls. Ryeowook’s crazy waving had apparently pissed one of the bulls off. They were charging straight for Ryeowook. Panicking, Ryeowook looked at Rosita. She pointed to the coat before looking back at the bull. He waved the coat and the bull began to make a beeline for the shaking coat.

As the bull approached, he jumped out of the way, toppling onto Rosita and letting the bull charge past them. The bull skidded to a stop and looked around. It shook its head before it continued its previous activity of munching on the grass. Ryeowook was panting heavily as he stared at the bull. He looked down at Rosita who was staring up at him with wide eyes.

“Not bad for a first timer,” she said, her breathing labored. He rolled off her, laying flat on his back. She sat up, bringing her hand to her chest. She pushed herself up, brushing the grass and dirt off of her. “So, how did it feel? Dancing with La Murete?”

“Should I want to throw up?” he inquired, glancing up at her. She giggled, holding her hand out for him. He grabbed her hand, pulling himself up for the second time after almost dying. “Seriously, why would anyone want to do that?”

“Adrenaline rush,” she said with a shrug. “Bullfighting usually entails killing the bull, but I don’t think that’s right. They're living animals, you know? But there’s nothing wrong with some innocent fun. As long as no one’s hurt.” She shot him a wink. She turned and began walking back towards town. He shook his head, staring after her. He chuckled to himself, hurrying after her before that bull decided he wanted a second round.

Today was, by far, the most eventful day Ryeowook had ever had. He had almost died--twice, met the most beautiful woman he’d ever had the privilege of laying eyes on, and subsequently, developed a bond with said woman. While the circumstances weren’t exactly ideal, the whole almost dying, twice, it gave him a new perspective on his life. He didn’t want to be the safe guy anymore. He wanted to live life to the fullest extent, and as Rosita clung to his arm, laughing about everything and nothing as they made their way back to Heartsease, he found he wanted to live it with her.

The activity of town was dying down as they made their way down the main road. People were settling down, businesses, with the exception of the Saloon, were closing. The wind was growing colder and picking up speed. Rosita shivered slightly, her grip on his arm tightening ever so slightly. He took his coat, which he had never bothered to put back on, and draped it over her shoulders. She smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Ryeowook!” He turned to see an old, old friend of his, Cho Kyuhyun, sitting outside the Saloon. He was wearing trousers and a button up shirt and vest, a deck of cards in his hand. He was shuffling them as he stared at Ryeowook. “Fancy a game?” he asked. He spared Rosita a glance, giving her a once-over. “Your pretty friend can join.”

“Sounds like fun!” Rosita said. Ryeowook snapped his head to look at her. He quirked a brow. She smiled and grabbed his elbow, pulling him to join Kyuhyun at the table. Heechul was also there, his hair a mess from what it had been earlier. Dark bruises peeked out from where his shirt was unbuttoned. He smirked over at Ryeowook, looking over at Rosita then shooting a wink at him. He frowned, waving his perverted friend away.

He leant over to Rosita. “I don’t really know how to play poker,” he whispered. She took her fan out, bringing it to cover her face from Kyuhyun and Heechul. She smiled innocently, shooting him a wink. Kyuhyun began dealing out the cards before setting the rest down. He picked his cards up: jack of clubs, two of hearts, three of diamonds, a queen of spades, and a seven of clubs. He put down the seven of clubs, and grabbed another card: nine of clubs.

Rosita leaned over, looking at his cards. She leant in close to his ear, her mouth brushing over the shell of his ear. “Just look cocky. I’ll handle everything else,” she whispered. Her breath fanned across his ear, sending a chill down his spine. He nodded, pulling a page from Heechul’s book and smirking as he looked at his cards.

Kyuhyun and Heechul placed their bets, watching Ryeowook curiously. Rosita and Ryeowook glanced at each other. She nodded, and he did so back. She reached for his money and placed everything in the center. Heechul dropped his jaw while Kyuhyun choked on his whiskey. They looked at each other before looking at Ryeowook. He shrugged, still smirking as he glanced over at Rosita. There was a smirk hidden behind her fan meant only for him.

“I am a firm believer of beginner’s luck, so I fold,” Heechul said, throwing his cards down. Kyuhyun glanced down at his card, then to the pile, then back to his cards. He let out a sigh, throwing his cards down as well.

“I fold. What did you have?” Ryeowook looked between his two friends before displaying his card. Both of their jaws dropped. “That’s what you had? I would have easily beaten you,” Kyuhyun huffed. He turned to Rosita who was looking around, fanning herself. “I never pegged you as someone who played poker.

“I am a woman of many talents,” she said, shooting Ryeowook a wink. He fidgeted in his seat, messing with his glasses as a light blush dusted his cheeks. Heechul snickered, grinning at his friend.

“I’ve never been bested in a game,” Kyuhyun said. He stood up, moving to stand next to her. He grabbed her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. “I congratulate you.” She giggled, fanning herself. Ryeowook rolled his eyes and caught sight of Heechul slipping money to Kyuhyun. He stood up abruptly, grabbing Rosita’s hand.

“Well, that was fun,” he said, “but we should get going. It is getting late after all. I’ll see you guys later.” He pulled Rosita from her seat and began leading her back to the barber shop. What was with these guys and flirting with Rosita? It’s not like there weren’t a bunch of other girls already vying for their attention.

“You’re very cute when you’re jealous,” she said once they were away from the Saloon. He whipped his head around, eyes wide. His face was on fire. He knew he hadn’t been that subtle, but he also didn’t think he’d been that obvious. “I don’t mind though. It’s nice to think at least one guy has--” She stopped moving, staring straight ahead with a slack jaw.

Ryeowook followed her gaze to a man, tall and skinny with blonde hair, who was standing just outside the Inn. A woman was with him, obsessing over him as he waved around a cape. That must have been Rosita’s friend she spoke often of. He glanced over to her and found her staring at them with a look of disgust mixed with anger and despair.

“Rosi--”

“If you could be so kind as to--as to excuse me,” she said, her voice cracking. She turned on her heel and began running in the opposite direction of the Inn.

He stared after her, glancing back at her friend who was still engrossed with the woman. He was torn in two. Half of him wanted to march up to that guy and land a solid punch to his face. The other half wanted to chase after her, and considering he had absolutely zero upper body strength, the latter won.

He was about halfway through town when he lost track of her. He looked around frantically, trying to find any sign of her. He let out a frustrated groan, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. He took a second and tried to put himself in her shoes. An idea popped off in his head. Putting his glasses back on, he ran as fast as he could to the only place she could be.

The sun had begun setting as he made his way to the empty pasture. The sky was a beautiful mix of pink, orange, and yellow. Rosita sat in the middle of the field, her head bent as she hugged her knees. Slowly and carefully, he approached her. As he drew nearer, he saw her shoulders shaking slightly. His heart broke for her as her quiet weeping pierced his ears.

“Rosita?” he called softly. Her soft whimpers died as she sniffled. “Rosita, what’s wrong?” He sat down next to her, his body turned away to give a bit of privacy. “Why did you run off?” She let out a sigh, leaning against his back. Her head rested against his shoulder, her body occasionally shaking against his

“Have you--have you ever been… in love?” she added the last part quietly. He was silent for a moment, thinking back over his life, about the people he’s encountered, his feelings towards them.

“Once.” A painful thought tugged at his heart strings. He took a deep breath, staring off at the setting sun. “Your friend… do you… he’s more than a friend.” His heart pounded away at his chest as he awaited for an answer he wasn’t sure he was ready to hear.

“Only to me… only in my heart.” Relief and despair flooded his system. While he was happy to know her friend wasn’t interested, it still hurt him to think of how his rejection felt to her. “He doesn’t feel that way about me. I thought he did when we… but he doesn’t. I thought that maybe if we left Mexico we could… but I guess not.” Her small whimpers returned, breaking his heart even more. “I just want to go home.”

That shattered his heart. He didn’t want her to leave. And deep down, he knew the only reason she wanted to leave was because of him. He felt her arms wrap around his middle as she cried softly. He brought a hand up to hold onto her wrist, his tumb gently stroking her arm as he willed his own tears not to fall.

A horrible, yet classic, tale he was in. The girl he fancies in love with another man--her best friend. It’s a tale as old as time. Then why--why did it hurt him so much to know that a woman he’s known for less than a day was in love with her friend since childhood? The answer was simple: because he had hopelessly, unwittingly, rapidly fallen in love with her. And as the sun dipped lower and lower behind the horizon, Ryeowook stared off in the distance, a million thoughts in his head. All of them about her.

The following day Ryeowook sat outside the Saloon, aset of cards in his hands. Kyuhyun sat across from him, a distracted look on his face. To be fair though, Ryeowook was also distracted. He had walked Rosita back to the Inn late last night, bidding her a goodnight’s sleep before he returned home. He hadn’t been able to sleep, his dreams filled with visions of her, and he couldn’t bring himself to go to the shop.

“Where’s your pretty lady friend?” Kyuhyun asked, pulling Ryeowook from his inner pity party. “Rosita, I believe, is what Heechul said her name was. You two seemed to have gotten pretty close.” Ryeowook sucked his teeth, throwing down a random card. Kyuhyun quirked a brow. “Trouble in paradise?” He shrugged.

“She’s in love with her best friend, which I guess I understand,” he said, resisting the urge to grind his teeth. “I mean, why wouldn’t she be in love with him? They’ve been friends since they were kids, he’s rich, and popular, and lives on the edge. I’d be surprised if she didn’t love him.

“But you know what blows? The damn fool doesn’t love her back. I mean, you’d think an idiot would notice when a gorgeous woman is in love with him, but no. No, he’d rather flirt with every average woman within a ten-foot radius. God, how big of a narcissist do you have to be to not notice a woman like her? Smart, funny, adventurous. God, he’s a dumbass.”

Kyuhyun let out a low whistle, quirking a brow at Ryeowook. He closed his mouth, hiding behind his cards. “You really like her, huh.” It was more of an observation than a question. Ryeowook sighed.

Kyuhyun let out a low whistle. “You really like her, huh.” He quirked a brow at Ryeowook. It was more of an observation than a question and it made him hide behind his cards.

“That obvious?”

“Just a tad.” They chuckled, silently continuing to play their game. Kyuhyun stared at his cards, barely sparing a glance to his friend. “So, how are you going to tell her?” he asked, placing a card down.

“Tell her what?” Kyuhyun rolled his eyes, giving Ryeowook a pointed look.

“That you’re in love with her.” Ryeowook pursed his lips, his eyebrows furrowing.

“I don’t know--”

“Oh cut that bullshit. Anyone who knows you or with half a brain can see you’re in love with her. Out of all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never given a girl more than a discount on a haircut. She comes into town and you’re fighting bulls and getting jealous of other men. So I’ll ask you again, how are you going to tell her?”

Ryeowook didn’t answer. He didn’t know how to because he was right. He was right and he had no idea what to do or how to tell her. How do you tell someone you met yesterday you’re in love with them and don’t want them to leave? She was probably packing her bags as he sat there playing cards.

A strangled sound drew Ryeowook’s attention from the game. Across the Saloon was one of the Deputy Directors of the Bank, Lee Sungmin. Donghee had a strong hold of him as a man, who Ryeowook recognized as the wanted thief who had escaped months earlier, ran away holding a box. Donghee hit Sungmin upside the head with his hammer before he also made his escape.

“Sheriff Siwon!” Ryeowook yelled, staring at Sungmin in shock. “Sheriff Choi Siwon!” Sheriff Siwon came stumbling out of the Saloon, looking around panicked. Sungmin stared at him before letting out another loud yell.

“Ryeowook? What is it?” he asked. Still in shock, he pointed to where Sungmin, hopefully, laid passed out on the ground. “Sweet baby Jesus!” Sheriff Siwon ran over to Sungmin, checking him over briefly.

Hae-won, Sheriff Siwon’s little sister, also came running over. She knelt down to do a more thorough job of checking Sungmin. “He’s alive,” she said. She stood up, dusting herself off. “What happened?”

“I didn’t see everything,” Ryeowook began. “I just heard someone struggling and looked over to see… Donghee. He-he was holding Sungmin and then he--he hit him over the head. And the thief! The thief had a box in his hands!”

“Which way? Which way?!” Siwon shouted. Ryeowook pointed down the road where the thief had taken. Sheriff Siwon drew his gun and ran after where Ryeowook had pointed.

“That--” She let out a long breath. She turned to Ryeowoo. “Go and stay at your shop. I have a few things to clear up and figure out. If you see anything suspicious, come and find me. Otherwise, please stay inside.” She stood up and took off in the direction of her brother.

Ryeowook was staring after her when a thought occurred to him: Rosita had no idea about what was going on. What if she was out walking around with the thief at large? What if she ran into Donghee? As fast as his feet could carry him, he ran to the Inn.

He burst through the front door, going straight to the Inn-keeper. “I need to find somebody: her name is Rosita,” he said, his breath labored. The clerk looked in their book before giving him a head shake.

“Sorry, she and her friend checked out this morning.” He let out a curse under his breath before turning on his heel and running out the door. There was only one other place she could be if she hadn’t already left town.

He ran and ran until sweat was dripping down his face and his glasses wouldn’t stay on his nose. The pasture was empty. The only thing he saw were bulls quietly resting in the sun. He looked around frantically, but there was no sign of her or her friend. He let out a loud yell. The bulls responded, but didn’t bother getting up.

Defeated and heart broken, he trudged back to Heartsease. While it hurt him to admit it, he hoped that she was far from here. He’d rather her be far away from here than wandering around with dangerous people at large.

When he arrived at his shop, he stopped. Rosita was sitting in the chair outside, twiddling with her fingers. She wore an oversized shirt and trousers. Her hair whipped around around in the wind as she sat there. Even dressed like a man, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Shaking his head, he approached her.

“Oh, hola,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear when she saw him. “I was wondering where you were. I was scared you were closed.” He didn’t say anything. He stepped up to the chair and pulled her up. He engulfed her in a hug, relief flooding his system. She stood frozen for a few moments before hugging him back.

“You scared me,” he whispered, his voice cracking. She rubbed his back soothingly. She pulled away, staring up at him with a guilty look.

“Lo siento. I just--I just wanted to say goodbye before I left,” she told him. He shook his head, pulling her back in for another hug. He buried his face in her hair, the scent of roses filling his nose.

“You can’t leave right now.” She pulled away again, staring at him confused.

“Why not?” He looked around before ushering her into his shop. He sat her down and told everything that happened. He told her about the thief and Donghee and how the Sheriff was hunting him. “That’s so scary! Weren’t you scared?” He shrugged.

“I didn’t have time. I was shocked, for sure. Donghee and I have been friends for years. I knew he had been having some hard times, but I didn’t think he’d steal a freaking crown.” He looked at Rosita and found her standing up. “Where’re you going?”

“I have to find Hyukjae. He’s out there and I can’t leave him alone when there’s criminals running around,” she said. He stood up as well, instinctively bringing an arm out to stop her. They both blinked in surprise.

“No. I know he’s your friend, but he’ll be alright. Someone out there will take him in. Or the Sheriff will find him and get him to safety. I need you to worry about yourself, not him.” Rosita gave him an incredulous look.

“He needs--”

“For you to be safe. How guilty would he feel if you went out there looking for him and you got hurt? I’m not trying to control you or get him hurt, I’m trying to keep you safe.” She opened her mouth to argue, but after a moment of consideration, she closed it. She took a seat, twiddling her thumbs. “Why… why do you want to leave?”

She sighed. “It’s hard,” she said. “It’s hard watching him flirt with other women when…” She buried her head in her hands. He sat next to her.

“You’re only making it harder for yourself. The more alone time you have with him on the open road, the more it’ll hurt when he chases after the first girl he sees. You won’t be happy if you keep running away,” he told her. She sat in silence, her head hanging as she twiddled her thumbs.

He sighed, standing up and making his way to the front door. He shut it louder than he had meant, but he couldn’t find the energy to care. He took a seat in his chair, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He didn’t mean to upset her, but what else could he do? She was so in love with her best friend and yet--

Yet he stood just a bot down the road, showing off his skills for the ladies in town. Except they weren’t paying attention to him. They were focused on Kyuhyun and his card tricks. He snickered, putting his glasses back on. Just past him he noticed a young man walking around, a yellowed paper in his hand. He had on baggy clothes, covered in dust, and a big hat. A bounty hunter Ryeowook concluded. The bounty hunter approached Rosita’s friend, making him fall onto his butt.

Ryeowook smirked, turning to go back inside his shop. Rosita stood in the middle of floor--correction, she stood on her hands in the middle of his floor, her shirt having fallen over her face and exposing her… chest. Ryeowook felt his entire body stop working. His face caught fire as he turned around. He cleared his throat and heard her squeal, followed by a loud thump.

Daring to take a peak, he found her laying on her back, her shirt covering what it was meant to. She looked up at him with a crooked grin. He cocked his head to the side, staring down at her. She held her hands up and he grabbed them, pulling her to her feet.

“What am I going to do with you?” he said, a smile sneaking onto his face. She shrugged, tucking her hair behind her ears. They stared at each other for a few moments before she turned away. She went to explore his little barber shop, touching everything and staring curiously at all the items he had littered about. His heart ached as he remembered she wouldn’t be staying and that soon, her and that blind fool of a friend of hers would be leaving.

His chest suddenly tight, he snuck back outside. He inhaled deeply, looking around his deck. Having neglected the shop for the past two days had certainly taken its toll. Dust was everywhere. As carefully and meticulously as he could possibly be, he began getting the dust out from all the nooks and crannies.

“Freeze!”

Ryeowook froze, turning his head to see Donghee and the thief walking down the road. On the opposite side was the bounty hunter he had seen earlier. The bounty hunter had his gun pointed at the pair, his face contorted to a look of pure concentration. The thief kept a firm hold of the box in his hands, a panicked look on his face. Donghee, who was in front of the thief, slowly began to put his hammer down.

The thief began panicking and the bounty hunter yelled at him, taking two steps closer. Donghee took the chance and ran towards the bounty hunter, grabbing the gun and yelling for the thief to run. He didn’t hesitate and ran past the pair that was now struggling for control over the gun. Ryeowook watched the scene unfold before him, his mouth hanging open.

As they continued to struggle, the gun ended up being pointed at him. He gasped, pressing himself against his door as his heart pounded in his chest. Shuffling in his window reminded him that Rosita was still in his shop and was in danger. His thoughts went fuzzy as he ran to the edge of his porch. He yelled as loud as he could, startling himself, the bounty hunter, and Donghee. The pair fell to the ground and the gun was flung from their hands. Ryeowook snatched up the gun, aiming it at Donghee’s… jewels.

The bounty hunter kept a firm hold on Donghee, forcing him to stand as Ryeowook kept the gun aimed at him. He’d never held a gun before in his life. It felt weird and was surprisingly heavy. The bounty hunter forced Donghee to sit in the chair outside, grabbing some nearby rope and tying up Donghee. Ryeowook gladly gave the gun back to the bounty hunter, his hands shaking like crazy.

“You did well,” the bounty hunter said, cocking his gun and pressing it to Donghee’s temple. He turned to Ryeowook, offering him a small smile. “You should be proud. I’m Donghae.” Ryeowook nodded, glancing at his window.

“I’m… going to throw up. One moment please,” he said, stepping inside his shop.

Rosita was pacing around, wringing her hands anxiously. When she heard the door open, she whipped around, her shoulders visibly relaxing. She ran to Ryeowook, throwing her arms around his neck. He responded immediately, wrapping his arms around her middle. He felt himself relax too, her embrace warm and comforting.

That was until she pulled away and punched him in the shoulder. He let out a surprised yelp, rubbing his now throbbing shoulder.

“You son of a bitch! You scared me!” she scolded. She pulled him back into another hug. He hesitantly hugged her back, his shoulder still stinging slightly.

“You hit surprisingly hard,” he said with a pout once they pulled away. She chuckled softly, shaking her head. She looked up at him, her eyes shining with worry.

“What were you thinking? You could have died,” she said, crossing her arms. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“The truth is… I was thinking about you.” She blinked, her arms falling to her side. She tilted her head to the side slightly. He sighed again. “Rosita, I--I care about you. I care about you more than I’ve cared about anybody. You’re this amazing, smart, funny, adventurous, beautiful woman, and I’m drawn to you in a way I’ve never felt.

“I don’t want you to leave. I know you’re in love with your friend, and I’m not asking you to forget about your feelings. I know it’s not that simple, but what I am asking for is a chance. A chance to show you how you should be cared for… how you should be loved.”

Rosita stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth falling open slightly. Ryeowook didn’t say anything, trying to gauge any reaction from her. When she still hadn’t said or done anything to reveal her feelings, he nodded his head, drawing his mouth into a thin line. He turned around, prepared to go back and help Donghae.

Before his hand touched the door handle, he felt her hand on his shoulder, turning him around. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing his mouth to hers. He was shocked for a couple of moments, but soon returned her kiss.

Feeling her soft lips against his sent him into a state of pure bliss. It was better than anything he had ever imagined. He pulled her closer to him, savoring the moment for as long as he could. He could have died happy right then and there.

When she pulled away, he found he couldn’t open his eyes for a moment. His chest was heaving and his heart pounded against his chest. When he opened his eyes, he found that her expression mirrored his: breathless, eyes glazed over with an awe-struck expression.

“I’ll stay.” Her voice was barely over a whisper as she steadied her breathing. “I won’t promise anything but… I’ll stay.” He grinned, grabbing her waist and pulling her in for another kiss.

A knock on his window reminded him he was supposed to be helping Donghae with Donghee. He cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses.

“I should, uh, I should get back out there,” he said. She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Be careful or a wanted fugitive will be the least of your worries,” she said. He laughed, pressing his mouth to her once again.

“Yes ma’am,” he mumbled against her lips.


	7. Lost in Translation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim Youngwoon, or Kangin as his friends call him, is a humble business man. Fresh and wholesome produce is not easy to come by, especially out west, but he does his best to deliver the best to his small town of Heartsease. When his shop is disrespected, he leaves his only employee, a young woman with a mysterious past, in charge. But that mysterious past comes back to haunt her, he worries. Will he come back to a booming business or a crashed market? Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon


	8. Ends with Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee Sungmin is generally content man. He’s content with his life. He’s content with his job, well, except for his Co-Deputy Director. A loud and opinionated woman, he finds her to be the most disagreeable person in the town of Heartsease. But when the crown they’re meant to deliver to the United States National Bank is stolen, they’ll have to team up and get it back before their boss finds out. Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon


	9. Texas Holdem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cho Kyuhyun is a gambling man with an usual love for taking risks. His life takes a turn for the better when the Sheriff’s little sister gives him an offer he can’t refuse. While accepts the offer that could potentially end his life, he finds himself growing close to the Sheriff’s sister- a woman completely off limits. But he’s always been a man to take risks, so what’s another? Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon


	10. Irresistibly Desired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim Heechul knows everything about everyone. He runs the only bar in the small town of Heartsease, and people are chatty when drunk. They’re also touchy, and when it comes to his favorite employee, he doesn’t like it at all. But when a rare opportunity to make money and rid himself of a pest falls into his lap, he jumps at the chance. However, the saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” is implemented in more than one way, and it may lead Heechul to more trouble than he was expecting. Oh Mamacita!

Coming soon


End file.
